Several different insect traps exist in the prior art. Many such devices utilize various poisonous substances to kill such insects upon contact. Other devices use a strong adhesive that traps insects in place, thereby eventually killing them. Other devices simply trap insects in a container that must be emptied periodically, for example, into a toilet or other disposal means. Clearly, with such devices, care must be given not to let such insects escape while emptying the device. Recently, several prior art insect killing devices have utilized a strong electric field into which insects fly and are electrocuted.
Public attention has recently become more focused on the over utilization of insecticides, toxic chemicals, and the like. Such chemicals are now being shown to cause significant harm when exposed to the environment. As such, many people are becoming reluctant to use devices that spray poisonous substances, such as many insect controlling devices. People with small children are even more reluctant to purchase such devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,303 to Floyd on Feb. 7, 1989, discloses such a device.
On the other hand, prior art insect control devices that do not use poisonous substances are generally perceived as less effective or more unsanitary than those devices that do contain poisonous substances. For example, those devices that utilize a strong adhesive become, over time, ridden with dead insects. Such devices are not only unsightly, but are arguably unsanitary. Further, strong adhesives of such devices tend to become less effective after exposure to air for an extended period of time. As such, insects that approach such a device may become repelled from it due to the olfactory recognition of other dead insects, or may, in fact, be able to escape when caught by a weak adhesive.
Clear disadvantages are also evident in insect traps that require periodic emptying of a reservoir for catching dead insects. Not only is such a chore distasteful, over time such reservoirs tend to become unsanitary if not properly cleaned. Further, many insects may be repelled from such a device that has not been emptied for some time.
Clear disadvantages are also evident in insect traps that use electricity to electrocute flying insects. Such insects typically fly between two screens that are oppositely charged, whereby an electric arc travels through the insect from one screen to the other, electrocuting the insect. Such an electric arc tends to make an unpleasant, sometimes startlingly load noise. Moreover, many people with small children are reluctant to use any apparatus with high voltage for obvious reasons. Such electric devices, moreover, are difficult to mount on a vertical pole, such as a fence post or the like. Mounting such devices from a pole is often more convenient than finding a tree branch or other such horizontal support near an electrical outlet.
Clearly, then, there is a need for an insect killing device that remains effective over extended periods of time without using wide-spread poisonous substance spraying. Such a needed device would be extremely alluring to flying insects, and extremely effective in killing them, yet would not require periodic cleaning or removing of dead insects. Further, such a needed device would be easy to maintain, would be pleasant in appearance, and would not create loud and unpleasant sounds. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.